Colin and the Pale Blue Dot

In the last post the question of my faith came up. I’ve talked in posts way back here on the blog about the Bible and Homosexuality. Biblical symbolism sometimes wanders into my poems. Hey, it’s in my background and upbringing. It’s part of my story. Still, I have been reluctant to discuss much religion here lately. Frankly, I’ve evolved, and I haven’t felt a need to discuss the details of how my outlook has changed over time. Maybe because I feel I am still learning, and so for me nothing is set in stone. Still, some want to press me for an answer.

To them, I can only say I know what seems silly and what seems logical. I bow to Billy Nye, the Science Guy. And even for believers, I cannot fathom why they imagine that faith derived from their ancient texts dictate that they must ignore all evidence to the contrary and imagine that the earth is a mere 6,000 years old.

And while I claim neither to be a believer (at least in the traditional sense), nor an atheist, I do believe that we ought to consider that all we could want of heaven, and to steal Miss Emily’s phrase, “all we need of hell” are already right here. Maybe then, we would finally be good to each other, and cherish the time we have, and the memories we’ll leave.

And hey, if we treat this world like it’s all we’ve got; if we treat each other like we are all we have; if we do not expect someone to fix our failings, but we take responsibility for them ourselves–if after all of that it turns out the believers were right, and there is an after life–well, then, bonus. But if we sit here blaming our wrongs and ills on devils and “god’s will,” we will squander our time and destroy what we claim he created. I don’t think any ancient text can describe an eternal reward for such an evil deed.

“And hey, if we treat this world like it’s all we’ve got; if we treat each other like we are all we have; if we do not expect someone to fix our failings, but we take responsibility for them ourselves–if after all of that it turns out the believers were right, and there is an after life–well, then, bonus. But if we sit here blaming our wrongs and ills on devils and “god’s will,” we will squander our time and destroy what we claim he created. I don’t think any ancient text can describe an eternal reward for such an evil deed.”